Gators Top Volunteers on Hardwood

Published February 25th, 2010

Florida's first win over Tennessee in three years probably secured the Gators a berth in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007.
Chandler Parsons scored 19 points, Erving Walker broke out of a shooting slump and Florida beat the 19th-ranked Volunteers 75-62 on Tuesday night.
Walker also finished with 19 points, 14 in the second half. Vernon Macklin added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Gators, who have won three in row. The Gators used a 27-6 run - highlighted by four 3-pointers and a bunch of points in the paint - to turn a close game into a lopsided affair. The victory snapped Tennessee's six-game winning streak in the series and gave Florida's NCAA tournament resume a much-needed boost.

The Gators (20-8, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) won for the fourth time in the last 15 meetings and jumped the Volunteers (20-7, 8-5) for third in the Eastern Division. More importantly, Florida probably secured a spot in the NCAA field for the first time in three years. Florida, whose RPI is 54 and whose strength of schedule is 71, improved to 3-6 against teams in the RPI's top 50.